ARLINGTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--State governments and public service organizations designing effective
digital strategies for citizen services of the future may need look no
further than their mobile devices. U.S. citizens who transact a
significant amount of business online – whether booking travel or
conducting financial transactions – have similar expectations for
accessing and using government services digitally, according to a new
report from Accenture (NYSE:ACN).

The report, Citizen
Digital Expectations, is based on findings from a survey of more
than 3,000 U.S. citizens and shows that these highly digital citizens,
or “super users,” conduct nearly half (46 percent) of all interactions
with government through digital channels, with nearly 30 percent of
these super users interacting digitally with government more than 75
percent of the time. In comparison, 42 percent of all respondents report
less than 10 percent of their interactions with government happen
digitally.

Super users, the report states, can be considered a leading indicator of
where the population as a whole is headed. They tend to be young,
slightly more affluent and avid consumers of social media and mobile
apps. They are also significantly more satisfied with the digital
services offered by government – with more than two-thirds (69 percent)
of super users reporting satisfaction compared to only half (50 percent)
of all citizens surveyed. Similarly, 84 percent of super users said that
improved digital services from government would positively impact their
attitude toward government.

“Super users are showing us a future where the majority of individuals
leverage computers, mobile devices and other digital technologies to
interact with government,” said Steve Hurst, Accenture’s digital
government lead. “By understanding citizens’ habits and priorities
around digital services, governments and public service organizations
will be better equipped to provide more-personalized, seamless
experiences for the citizens and communities they serve, building on
already high rates of satisfaction.”

Accenture’s survey found that super users prefer communicating using
email, websites, texting, smartphone apps and social media over
telephone, in-person office visits or traditional mail. Interestingly,
despite digital driving daily activities and transactions on commercial
websites, super users were more likely than other citizens to report a
higher level of satisfaction with government digital services, at 69
percent versus 58 percent for citizens overall.

The margins between super users and all citizens is equally dramatic
when evaluating activities attempted on city or state government
websites over the course of 12 months. For instance:

More than half (56 percent) of super users, versus only 43 percent of
all citizens, have applied for or renewed drivers’ licenses;

Half (50 percent) of super users paid taxes online, compared to only
40 percent of all citizens; and

Nearly one-third (32 percent) of super users applied for or received
information on benefits, compared with one-quarter (25 percent) of all
citizens.

The survey found that privacy and security remain a top concern (81
percent of super users, 72 percent of all citizens), followed by the
ability to have questions answered definitively (74 percent of super
users, 68 percent of all citizens), tracking status of requests or
activities (76 percent, 66 percent), and having information organized by
individual needs or issues (75 percent, 65 percent). The majority of
both groups of respondents support advanced digital functions like
alerting, personalized websites and apps, and a single-entry portal/
one-stop-shop government website.

”For government and public service organizations, your future client
base is already here and they are demanding digital -- this is a
tremendous opportunity for leaders to plan how best to meet these
growing citizen expectations for digital interactions,” concluded Hurst.

Methodology

Accenture conducted an online survey of 3,300 voting-age citizens and
interviews with 118 public service leaders in 16 states, representing
all regions of the United States, including California, Florida, New
York, Texas, North Carolina and Ohio. Surveys and interviews were
conducted in March 2016. Nearly one quarter (23 percent) of all
respondents were identified as “super users.”

About Accenture

Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a
broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital,
technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and
specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business
functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network –
Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help
clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their
stakeholders. With more than 384,000 people serving clients in more than
120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world
works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.